The points of issue
Leisure mass-market paperback original, January 2001; first printing with full number line. Cemetery Dance also published a signed limited hardcover of 1,500 copies in 2001.
Is this the true first?
The Leisure paperback original is generally treated as the first edition; the Cemetery Dance signed limited hardcover appeared the same year and is the collectible issue. Firm precedence between the two 2001 issues is not established.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
N/A (paperback original).
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Lost a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Leisure mass-market paperback original, January 2001; first printing with full number line. Cemetery Dance also published a signed limited hardcover of 1,500 copies in 2001.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. The Leisure paperback original is generally treated as the first edition; the Cemetery Dance signed limited hardcover appeared the same year and is the collectible issue. Firm precedence between the two 2001 issues is not established.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
N/A (paperback original).
I have a first edition of The Lost — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.